Lupine plant named ‘Gladiator’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Lupine plant named ‘Gladiator’, characterized by its upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit; numerous large yellow and orange red bi-colored flowers arranged on dense terminal racemes.

Botanical designation: Lupinus hybrid.

Cultivar denomination: ‘GLADIATOR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lupineplant, botanically known as Lupinus hybrid and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Gladiator’.

The new Lupine plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Devon, United Kingdom. The objective of thebreeding program is to develop new uniform and freely flowering Lupineplants with large attractive flowers.

The new Lupine plant originated from an open-pollination in June, 2004of a seedling selection of Lupinus hybrid identified as Lupinus RussellHybrid Seedling WCL 032/99, not patented, as the female, or seed, parentwith an unknown selection of Lupinus hybrid as the male, or pollen,parent. The new Lupine plant was discovered and selected by the Inventorin June, 2005 as a single flowering plant within the progeny of thestated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Devon, UnitedKingdom.

Asexual reproduction of the new Lupine plant by micro propagation in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Hillegom, The Netherlands sinceMarch, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Lupine plantare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations ofasexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lupine have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and lightintensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Gladiator’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Gladiator’ as a new and distinct Lupine plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Numerous large yellow and orange red bi-colored flowers        arranged on dense terminal racemes.    -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Lupine can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Lupine differ from plants of the femaleparent selection primarily in plant growth habit and flower color.

Plants of the new Lupine can be compared to plants of Lupinus hybrid‘Manhattan Lights’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,868. Plants ofthe new Lupine differ from plants of ‘Manhattan Lights’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lupine are shorter than plants of        ‘Manhattan Lights’.    -   2. Plants of the new Lupine and ‘Manhattan Lights’ differ in        flower color as plants of ‘Manhattan Lights’ have burgundy and        yellow-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Lupine can also be compared to plants of Lupinushybrid ‘Saffron’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,802. Plants of thenew Lupine differ from plants of ‘Saffron’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lupine are taller than plants of ‘Saffron’.    -   2. Plants of the new Lupine and ‘Saffron’ differ in flower color        as plants of ‘Saffron’ have yellow-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Lupine plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Lupine plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Gladiator’ grown in an outdoor nursery andplaced in a container for the purposes of the photograph.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalinflorescence of ‘Gladiator’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants of the new Lupine grown during the earlysummer in outdoor nursery in Vogelenzang, The Netherlands and undercultural practices which closely approximate commercial Lupineproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 16° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 6° C. to 18° C.Plants were two years old when the photographs and the detaileddescription were taken. In the detailed description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lupinus hybrid ‘Gladiator’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Lupinus Russell Hybrid Seedling WCL            032/99, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Lupinus            hybrid, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By micro propagation.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About four to five days at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About five to            six weeks at 15° C. to 17° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About seven to            eight weeks at 15° C. to 17° C.        -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy; creamy white to light brown            in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Main tap root with low lateral branching;            medium in density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright plant habit; vigorous growth            habit.        -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching habit.        -   Plant height.—About 72.5 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 51 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 31.3 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1.2 cm.        -   Internode length.—About 7.9 cm.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Color.—Between 144C and 145A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, palmately compound with about eleven            leaflets per leaf.        -   Leaf length.—About 18.6 cm.        -   Leaf width.—About 18.6 cm.        -   Leaflet length.—About 10.8 cm.        -   Leaflet width.—About 2.7 cm.        -   Leaf shape.—Orbicular.        -   Leaflet shape.—Oblanceolate.        -   Leaflet apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Leaflet base.—Cuneate.        -   Leaflet margin.—Entire.        -   Leaflet texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Leaflet texture, lower surface.—Sparsely pubescent.        -   Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Leaflet color.—Developing leaflets, upper surface: Close to            143A to 143B. Developing leaflets, lower surface: Close to            139C. Fully expanded leaflets, upper surface: Close to            N137D; venation, close to 144A to 144B. Fully expanded            leaflets, lower surface: Close to 138A; venation, close to            138A to 138B.        -   Leaf petiole.—Length: About 17.7 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower appearance/arrangement.—Single large papilionaceous            flowers arranged in dense racemes; freely flowering habit            with usually about 200 flowers developing per inflorescence;            flowers face mostly outwardly.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering from late            spring through the summer in The Netherlands.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about two weeks on the plant;            flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; somewhat peppery.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 38.2 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6.8 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 1.2 cm by 2.4 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 2.1 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.            Shape: Ovate. Color: Close to 154D; towards the base, close            to 39B; calyx, close to 143C.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Flowers papilionaceous with an            upper standard petal, two lateral petals and a lower keel of            two united petals. Length: Upper standard petal: About            1.8 cm. Lateral petals: About 1.7 cm. Lower keel: About            1.3 cm. Width: Upper standard petal: About 2.1 cm. Lateral            petals: About 1.2 cm. Lower keel: About 1.3 cm. Shape: Upper            standard petal: Orbicular; convex. Lateral petals: Obovate;            curved and concave. Lower keel: Ovate; curved and folded.            Apex: Upper standard petal: Emarginate. Lateral petals:            Rounded. Lower keel: Caudate. Margin, all petals: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces, all petals: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, when opening, upper surface: Upper standard            petal: Close to 3A; towards the margins, close to 3B to 3C;            towards the base, close to 35B to 35C. Lateral petals: Close            to 39B. Lower keel: Close to 2D; apex, close to 177A. Color,            when opening, lower surface: Upper standard petal: Between            3B and 4A; towards the margins, close to 35B to 35C. Lateral            petals: Close to 39A. Lower keel: Close to 2D; apex, close            to 177A. Color, fully opened, upper surface: Upper standard            petal: Close to 3A; towards the margins, close to 3C;            towards the base, close to 35B; with development, color            towards the margins becomes closer to 7A to 7C. Lateral            petals: Close to 35C; with development, color becomes closer            to 51A to 51B. Lower keel: Close to 195C; towards the apex,            close to 176A; apex, close to 177A; color does not change            with development. Color, fully opened, lower surface: Upper            standard petal: Close to 6B; towards the margins, close to            6C; towards the base, close to 35C; with development, color            towards the margins becomes closer to 7A to 7C. Lateral            petals: Close to 35B; with development, color becomes closer            to 51A to 51B. Lower keel: Close to 195C; towards the apex,            close to 176A; apex, close to 177A; color does not change            with development.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Two. Length: About 6 mm. Width:            About 5.5 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely            pubescent. Color, when opening, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 143C. Color, fully opened, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 146B to 146C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 37.7 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly erect. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 183D.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 80° from peduncle            axis Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 183C to            183D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower: About            ten. Filament length: About 4 mm to 7 mm. Filament color:            Close to 144B to 144C. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther            length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 169B to 169D.            Amount of pollen: Moderate to abundant. Pollen color: Close            to 24A. Gynoecium: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:            About 1.3 cm. Style length: About 1.25 cm. Style color:            Close to 150D. Stigma shaped: Club-shaped, fringed. Stigma            color: Close to 145D. Ovary color: Close to 144C to 144D.        -   Fruits.—Quantity per flower: One. Length: About 4.5 cm.            Diameter: About 1 cm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color:            Close to 165A.        -   Seeds.—Quantity per fruit: About ten. Length: About 5 mm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Color: Close to 200A.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Lupine have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind, high    temperatures of about 35° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone    5.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Lupine have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lupine    plants.

1. A new and distinct Lupine plant named ‘Gladiator’ as illustrated anddescribed.